, 1887-07-12
FURIOUS FLAMES.
Burning Of the Alcazar Variety
Theater
at Hurley, a Wisconsin Mining
Town.
Seventeen Persons Perish in
the Flames.

HURLEY, Wis. July ia fire broke
out on the stage in the Alcazar theater
block Saturday night, and within an hour
the entire business part Of the town was
in flames, while eleven persons had per-
ished in the theater. The charred re-
mains of nine people have been taken
IRON the ruins. The loss is fully half a
million dollars. The Alcazar was a vari-
ETY. theater chiefly frequented by miners,
and was one of the resorts of unsavory
repute associated with the notorious
dance houses in the mining regions.
Only a small audience had gathered
when the fire brokepou and they scram-
bled out in a hurry. Several actors, how
ever, rushed up stairs to save their ward
robes, and when they sought to escape
they found that they were hemmed in on
all sides, the flames having spread through
the wooden building with incredible rap
idity. How they struggled to flee will
never be known, as none of them except
Sadie Wells and Mabel Powers were ever
seen again. The former appeared at a
second story window and called piteously
upon the crowd outside to save her, but
before a hand could be raised the flames
reached her ana communicated to her
clothing. She made a frantic effort to
Jump through the window and then with
a piercing shrek fell into the furnace be-
low. Mabel Powers had reached a third
story window. She jumped and was so
badly injured that her recovery is doubt
full.
Among those who persisted in the thea,
ter were Frank Young. Sadie McCabe
and jackson, the colored comedian; Tillie
Moore, a song and dance artist, Mabel
Goodrich and her husband, Sadie Wells,
Mrs. Eenton and two or three others
whose names are not known,
The Alcazar was in the very heart OF
the city and it was a mass Of flames in a
very short time. The fire seemed to leap
from building to building until several
blocks became a roaring oven. 1t was
not long before every business building
between Third and Fifth avenues was in
flames, and all efforts to get the fire under
control seemed futile. The fire depart
ment, reinforced by scores of volunteers,
sent its puny streams against the advanc-
ing walls of flames, but they had to re
treat as the fire swept reslstlessly on
and it did not stop until material for it to
feed Upon was lacking.
A special from Ironwood, Mich, across
the river from Hurley, Wis. says: Seven
Y pOOplC lOoN lIII hNCo III ~ NlSdLhl
The following additional names of the
dead are given: J. w. Vanquick, Sam
uel Haley, and Laurie Brainerd. 1t is
probable hat John Jarrett, stage carpen-
ter, will die from his injuries. Jennie
Sheridan, an actress, who leaped from the
third story is also severely hurt She
says that she tried to pursuade several
others to jump but they delayed and the
floor fell in TAKING tbpm with IT,
A later dispatch says that fourteen
bodies have been recovered from the ruins
of the Alcazar theater. Identification is
utterly impossible, as nothing but the
trunks of the bodies and an occasional arm
or leg is found. Three persons we're
fatally injured by jumping from windows,
making the total deaths seventeen. The
total loss is estimated at $3.50, 600, insur-
ance about $50. 900. Five blocks, en-
bracing seventy buildings were laid in
ashes.